MINISTER AND DOCTORS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 16 February 1935, Page 7

MINISTER AND DOCTORS

MR WEAVER’S STATEMENTS YOUTHFUL PRACTITIONERS REFERENCES TO “DUDS” Mr R. W.‘ Weaver, who has been ousted from his position as Minister of Public Works in the New South Wales Cabinet, has lately been at cross-purposes with the medical profession. He was recently criticised by the president of the New South Wales branch of the British Medical Association, Dr. A. J. Collins, for certain of his statements, the general tenor of which, said Dr. Collins, had been offensive to the medical profession. “Mr Weaver’s well-known hostility to the medical profession provides no excuse,” Dr. Collins said, “for his continued public disparagement of an ancient and honourable calling.

“At Parramatta, Mr Weaver, so it is reported, said that under tlie old Hospital Act doctors could be prosecuted and made to disgorge their fees,” said Dr. Collins. “Thus does the Minister constitute himself prosecutor and judge. While Mr Weaver may command respect as a legislator, I have no confidence in him as a lawyer; and as a judge, sentencing his victims without trial, I find him amusing.

QUACKS AND THE PUBLIC

“Mr Weaver is also reported to have referred to medical practitioners who may not have had resident positions in hospitals as ‘duds’; at the same time expressing the view that all doctors should serve one year in hospital before practising. I object strongly to the word ‘dud’ in this connection. What qualifications lias Mr Weaver for judging tlieir professional skill. I agree cordially that the public would benefit it all doctors served as hospital residents before practising. I believe that most doctors in this State have done so. “But Mr Weaver has done nothing to suppress quackery. Any quack can practise in New South Wales and despoil the public. Until he has protected the public from quacks, I would advise Mr Weaver to leave the medical profession alone.” Mr Weaver, in a reply, said: —“Dr. Collins is entirely wrong, and has no justification in saying that I am hostile to the medical profession. This is the same doctor, who, as president of the 8.M.A., previously told men that I had done more for hospitals than any of my predecessors. He also thanked me for making provision for intermediate wards in hospitals to enable doctors to charge fees, which previously they could not 1 do.

USE OF A WORD

“Tn regard to the use of the word ‘dials,’ my exact statement was ‘that 95 per cent, of the students obtained appointments to hospitals, and the remaining 5 per cent., who were rejected, could he considered as duds, yet, if they had money, they could purchase a. practice and operate upon the public in spite of tlieir inefficiency.” Mr Weaver, in reply to a question in the Legislative Assembly, denied that he had stated at Parramatta that if the Hospitals Act was properly enforced members of every hospital board in the State would he prosecuted and removed from office. He said he had pointed out in his speech that if the*old Act was put into effect many medical officers would have to he prosecuted and asked to disgorge any money that had been taken for tlieir services in the hospitals. He added that that would he a drastic action, which he did not like to take, but tlie difficulty would be overcome by pending new legislation.